Description: Caspase 9 is a cysteine C14 endopeptidase that mediates oncogene and drug-induced apoptosis. It is activated upon binding to Apaf-1/cytochrome c and inhibited upon phosphorylation by the serine/ threonine kinase Akt. Activated caspase-9 cleaves downstream caspases such as Caspase-3, -6 and -7 initiating the caspase cascade. Like other caspases, Caspase-9 plays a critical role in mediating apoptosis during normal brain development.